Boston Marathon Bombing — One Year Later
(Michael Dwyer/AP Photo, image from abcnews.com)
One year ago today, I was at the Red Sox game with my father and my good friend getting very excited about a walk off win. My father and I, still ecstatic about the game, walked over to Kenmore Square to cheer on the Marathon runners. Suddenly I saw police officers run towards Commonwealth Avenue, which was followed by a mysterious text from my friend (who had left the area after the game), asking, “You didn’t go to the finish line, did you?” When I answered that I was on the marathon route in Kenmore, she said, “Good. Did you hear about the explosion? Be safe!” Eventually, the race was stopped in the Kenmore area, and we were evacuated, instructed by emergency personnel and National Guard to walk away, not towards Downtown, and to stay away from Beacon Street in Brookline for several blocks. Walking through Brookline, we heard different stories about explosions, then bombs in Copley Square, a fire at the John F Kennedy Library in Dorchester, and various threats in the city (thus the evacuation of parts of Beacon Street). It wasn’t until I got home, that I heard the actual facts, there had been two bombs at the finish line, and that the other stories were either not related or not credible. As mildly confusing as my day had been, I could not (and still can’t) imagine the horror of those directly impacted and what they must be going through today. If you are reflecting on the first anniversary, here are some relevant resources.
- Our Marathon: The Boston Bombing Digital Archive & WBUR Oral History Project
This comprehensive project, spearheaded by Northeastern University and WBUR, puts together a collection of photos, memorabilia, text messages, and oral histories about the bombing and related events (such as the Shelter in Place order). Users are encouraged to share stories and related objects at the site. - Dear Boston: Messages from the Marathon Memorial
This exhibit at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square runs through May 11 and features items left at a makeshift memorial near the site of the bombings. The Boston Public Library will also be hosting a series of events to commemorate the one year anniversary. - #BostonBetter
This site, a project of various museums, libraries, and archives, including Gore Place in Waltham, offers a variety information on resources and events. - Boston Athletic Association Press Room
The Boston Athletic Association (BAA), sponsor of the Boston Marathon, outlines important news updates on its site, including safety and security information for those attending the race. You can also check results and a course map on the BAA Marathon site. - Stronger: Fighting Back after the Boston Marathon Bombing by Jeff Bauman with Brett Witter
The photo of Jeff Bauman in a wheelchair and getting helped by Carlos Arrendondo, who lost both his legs in the bombings, became a symbol of the marathon bombing. Reserve his book at the library. - Long Mile Home: Boston under Attack, the City’s Courageous Recovery, and the Epic Hunt for Justice by Scott Helman and Jenna Russell
This book, researched by Boston Globe reporters, gives extensive detail about the marathon bombings, and the subsequent aftermath, including the manhunt and the Shelter in Place order. The coverage led to the Globe winning the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting - 4:09:43 : Boston 2013 through the Eyes of the Runners by Hal Higdon
This is an oral history of the 2013 Boston Marathon told by the runners to a contributing editor of Runner’s World
posted by Laura